Stopping for lunch, I ordered a glass of the house wine. A bottle arrived at the table. When I protested, I was told to drink what I wanted and I would be charged accordingly. Not a bad system, I thought.

Later, sipping more wine – this is Italy, after all — on our apartment balcony overlooking the vineyards from whose grapes it was made, we debated whether to eat in or go out for another Florentine steak. The fact that our apartment was housed in a structure dating back to the 13th century on a farm boasting one of the best-known vineyards in Italy was a bonus.

Vineyard photograph courtesy of Victor Block.

Welcome to UNTOURS, a wonderful well-kept secret that may change your concept of travel forever. Idyll, Ltd.’s UNTOURS program offers tourists a unique opportunity to not be tourists. It flies participants to one or more cities in more than a dozen European countries, inundates them with information and puts them up in apartments for two-to-four or more weeks to live like the locals. A much safer option during the pandemic than staying at a hotel.

It’s a way to get to know a destination in a manner that would never happen on a conventional tour. And again — a safer one. It’s ideal for those who have the time and interest to explore their surroundings at leisure and in depth. And they provide the wherewithal to do it: rental cars or bus and rail passes are part of the package.

Those who joined my husband, Victor, and me on the pre-pandemic Southern Tuscany adventure were intrepid travelers who wanted to focus on the destination, not the details. Cathy Gerdes, a veteran Untourist from Durham, NC explained: “We love the philosophy of Untours. They help you make all the arrangements, give you the inside scoop on what to do, and then leave you on your own to explore and discover.” We were learning about our neighborhood, but on our terms. Rise early or sleep in. Sightsee or stroll around town. Cook in or eat out. And whatever the choice, we returned to our apartment, a much roomier and warmer ambiance than any hotel would provide, and one which has been treated according to strict Covid protocols.

The town of steps, turns and back alleys that initially seemed daunting to navigate soon became negotiable. We mastered shortcuts to the center of town; got to know local vendors, and began to feel secure enough to risk getting lost on purpose. The sense of pride I felt when giving some harried American tourists directions was bordering on smug.

Street photograph courtesy of Victor Block.

Each day brought a new adventure, often beginning with a visit to any one of several nearby “hill towns,” which indeed come by their name honestly. One day, it was the Renaissance city of Pienza, known for its harmony of ambience and structure, a town the word charming was invented for. Another day, San Gimignano, claiming more intact towers than any other hill town – 13, 14 or 15, depending upon the not-so-reliable source material. Or tiny Murlo, town of 17, which more resembled a movie set of a 13th century village than the reality of it. And then there was historic Volterra, flaunting evidence of Etruscan, Roman, Medieval and Renaissance influences.

Muro photograph courtesy of Victor Block.

A visit to Abbadia San Salvatore introduced us to an 8th century Abbey whose write-up talks about it being newly renovated. Those recent restorations? They took place in the 15th century. This sense of time warp is ever present. The present and past — long-ago past — coexist harmoniously as one can travel back and forth through multiple centuries within a couple of hours of doing day-to-day errands.

Whatever the village, be sure to walk off the main square to see where the people really live. Perusing 13th-century corridors an arms-length wide, flanked on both sides by two-to-three story stone apartments, we eavesdropped on venues teeming with life. The back streets appear even more historic and colorful than the already enthralling but more touristy central piazza. Admittedly, the local folks are probably not as impressed as I am at the origin of their lifestyles.

Every town has its church dating from the 1200s, museum celebrating its art, its de rigueur duomo, fortress and possibly Etruscan tomb. I rarely went into any of them. I’m not proud of this, and I don’t recommend it. I’m a travel writer after all, and this is sacrilege, but for me, the wonder of traveling is to be found wandering the streets, and in Tuscany especially, stopping at every café for a Cappuccino or scoop of gelato.

Gelato photograph courtesy of Victor Block.

Check out the wide, heavy wooden apartment doors with their ornate designs and fanciful brass knockers — to me, almost as appealing as the many works of art within the cathedrals and museums. Look through ubiquitous archways overlooking the red tile roofs of the towns below for yet another photo op demanding to be taken.

Driving through the Tuscan countryside, almost every bend produces another WOW moment — perhaps not the more dramatic views of, say, a New Zealand, but instead a more tranquil beauty. Picture this: an incredibly vast expanse of rolling hills, a patchwork quilt of vineyards, olive trees and wheat fields dipping into valleys and clinging to hillsides, with colors of green and brown and reddish gold depending upon the season and the crop, accentuated by stately, slender Cypress trees standing guard along long driveways leading up to stone villas.

Cypress trees photograph courtesy of Victor Block.

Looking out across the valleys, you recognize there’s something different about the light – it seems richer, more intense. A young artist we met who was painting her way through Tuscany characterized it as “luminescent.” Ah yes, I thought, that’s it.

Countryside photograph courtesy of Victor Block.

Grant & Patricia Wood from Mississauga, Canada, on their third Southern Tuscany trip reinforced the concept: “We fell in love with the simplicity, the community, the people, the views, the light. We left our hearts here so we had to come back. It feels like we’ve come home.”

Though Vic’s eyes were beginning to glaze over at the thought of another Medieval town, I was still entranced by the narrow streets, steep hills and back alleys. Yet we broke up our days with hiking in nearby national parks, meandering through local outdoor markets, checking out a Cock Festival that had been held in a close-by hamlet for over 700 years and doing errands such as laundry, email and shopping for quiet dinners at home.

But mostly we dined on pasta, cheeses and pizzas at the many tavernas in our neighborhood, every table sporting the ubiquitous bottle of wine. Even at lunch! Not a usual practice back home. One of our favorite hangouts was Taverna dei Barbi, an old stone tavern on the grounds of the vineyard where we lived. Sitting among the eerie granite-covered archways and columns, I felt like I was in a very sophisticated, warm, welcoming…dungeon.

Offered a menu in English or Italian, I so wished I could have said “Italiano, per favore” and meant it. But I had only learned just enough Italian to get into trouble. I could ask some basic questions but didn’t have a prayer of understanding the answers. Still, it found us “il banyo” (bathroom) and “la stazione” (train station) and, of course, a multitude of gelato flavors.

The Taverna’s sausages and salami come from their resident pigs; the cheeses from their sheep; the veggies from the garden and, of course, the wine from their vineyards. Most restaurants at home are not quite that self-sustaining. I was glad I hadn’t taken a tour earlier and gotten to know any of the local inhabitants by name.

Our days were filled with a meshing of hills and happenstance, vistas and vino, walled cities and watch towers; a chance meeting at a museum, church, fortress or, better yet, a wine tasting. After all, this is what Tuscany is famous for, and wine bars are as omnipresent on street corners here as Starbucks are in the States.

Perhaps, that’s the essence of the UNTOURS experience. There’s something more special about discovering such treasures on your own than being herded there as part of a group, according to a pre-determined time schedule that dictates how long you can spend looking before it hurries you through because the bus is leaving to go to the next stop.

Wine and cheese photograph courtesy of Victor Block.

It was so much nicer just to pick up some roasted chicken, wave to shopkeepers we had befriended and return home to sit on our porch, sip yet another glass of wine and savor our most recent exploits. For more information, contact UNTOURS at 888-868-6871 or visit their website at www.untours.com. Now that the EU has opened up travel to visitors from the States, UNTOURS expects their trips to start again, hopefully, very soon.

The post Sipping Vino and Savoring Vistas in Tuscany appeared first on Traveling Archive.

How the tasting for three people was done:

I briefly chilled the wines, then uncorked them and poured some into wine glasses, and we immediately took a sip. Then, we let them sit for an hour before we tasted again. While waiting that hour, I poured the wine through a Vinturi Tower wine aerator into different glasses. For each red, the sip was the worst, the aerator was second, and the open for an hour and poured was the fullest flavor – especially after swirling it in the glass for a bit. So if you don’t have time to let your wine breathe, use an aerator.

The two red wines according to Monterosola:

Mastio 2018 – “A beautiful rich ruby in color with elements of ripe fruits on the nose with a hint of red cherry, strawberries almonds and green herbs. A well-balanced combination of elegance and intensity on the palate with soft tannins and a generous aftertaste.”

Cresendo 2016 – “Deep garnet color with flavors of rich cherries, dried herbs, sweet oak, spices, black tea and toasted almonds. Both intense and complex on the palate it is powerful yet refined with a lengthy finish. Crescendo has great aging potential.”

What the tasting revealed:

Color, bouquet, and legs – both similarly red, the Mastio’s bouquet initially more inviting, but it didn’t have legs until it breathed. The Cresendo’s legs were walking from the first pour (see video), and the bouquet blossomed as the wine opened. Both are good quality for the price.

Finally, the taste:

Mastio’s medium bold and very drinkable flavor has red and black fruit notes and a smoothish tannic finish. Tuscany’s popular Sangiovese grape serves this wine well. There’s an herb taste I can’t place, surprising in a red, that adds to the complexity. One fellow taster preferred this imminently drinkable wine over the Cresendo, and went back to it after the tasting. Mastio is a great value and a perfect everyday wine that could be served for special occasions too. $15

Cresendo presents a stronger taste and smoother mouthfeel, with tobacco and oak notes beside the typical Sangiovese cherry that creates a full and complex flavor profile. If I had another bottle I might set it aside for tasting in a year or two, but it’s a lovely drink now if allowed to breathe. The other taster and I preferred this over the Mastio, and after the tasting had no trouble finishing it. Truthfully, if I’d had another bottle I’d probably have opened it right then. $28

Meanwhile… located in the heart of Tuscany, Italy, between the world-famous wine-growing regions of Chianti and Bolgheri, the Monterosola estate commands a hillside overlooking the medieval city of Volterra. Monterosola is one of the newest of the modern breed of estate vineyards that have become destinations in their own right. But what exactly is Monterosola?

Monterosola is a family owned and run vineyard with a brand-new architect-designed state-of-the-art cantina. They make award-winning organic wines by combining old traditions with modern technology. The family, Thomaeus, is a Swedish couple and their three grown children, each a sommelier in their own right, with the vision to buy an estate making good wines and turn it into a world-class producer of some of the finest organic wines in the world.

The new cantina was designed to use geothermal energy with heat pumps and a rain water collection system to generate sustainable energy and water consumption. It is naturally cooled and heated, and offers concerts and events in its various performance spaces, with fine dining to accompany their superior organic wines. I think it would be fun to visit and see their impressively located and designed facility. I’m used to seeing stainless steel fermenting vats, so a look at their concrete fermenting tanks (tulipes) and an explanation of their use would be educational. But mostly I want to taste their wines with their superb Italian food.

Tastings and tours can be arranged through the Monterosola website.

The post Monterosola – The Vineyard and Wine Tasting appeared first on Traveling Archive.

Situated on 63 lush acres in Temecula’s burgeoning wine country, South Coast Winery Resort & Spa is a relaxing and idyllic destination for wine lovers and those who just want a relaxing getaway. The property boasts award-winning wine tasting, a gourmet restaurant, full-service spa (currently closed), a large pool area with cabanas, and a hotel with villas located in the vineyards.

My getaway to the resort began recently when a friend and I checked into a spacious, 575 square-foot villa suite, with stunning mountain views and a patio set among the grapes. The room also features a luxurious king bed, a living room with fireplace, dining area with microwave, refrigerator, kitchen sink and dining table, and a marble and granite bathroom with oversized Jacuzzi tub and walk-in shower.

After checking in to the villa, we decided to sample some of the winery’s most popular varietals. The front desk sent a golf cart to pick us up at our room and take us to the tasting area, where we sat outside on a large outdoor patio and sampled a flight of red wines. The smooth, fruity and earthy journey of wines included award-winning Grenache, Tempranillo, petit verdot and merlot.

From the tasting we took a stroll around the rolling estate. Founded by Jim Carter, the winery opened in 2003, followed by the restaurant and resort in 2006, and then the spa in 2007.

Today, South Coast Winery Resort and Spa has garnered more than 5,000 awards and medals for the grapes it’s grown and wine it’s produced. In 2016, it broke records with its fourth win in the California State Winery of the Year Wine Competition.

“I wanted to share the complete wine country experience,” says Jim Carter. “Guests not only enjoy the finest wines paired with the finest foods, but they stay in a private villa right in the middle of a vineyard. We are Temecula Valley’s only full-service winery-resort that gives them a glimpse of our lifestyle in one of the most beautiful places in Southern California.”

The winery produces 45 wine labels, the majority of which are available for sampling. This includes robust reds such as tempranillo, cabernet sauvignon, grenache, petit syrah, merlot and pinot noir, to whites including sauvignon blanc, viognier, pinot grigio, chardonnay and riesling. Also available are sparkling wines, desert wines and other specialty offerings.

While walking around the vineyards and dirt walking paths lining the resort, we spotted numerous bunny rabbits, old wind mills, hot air balloons, and a romantic, pumpkin-shaped horse carriage being pulled by two Clydesdale horses. The resort is currently offering packages that include an overnight stay, wine and either a ride in a hot air balloon or a horse carriage.

After touring the property we headed back to our villa and relaxed on the patio, with a bottle of South Coast Boulder Red 2.0. A bit Southern France and a tad Southern California, this wine features a balanced and clean taste, with the right amount of silky tannins.

For dinner we strolled over to the resort’s signature restaurant, The Vineyard Rose. Housed in an elegant, Tuscan-inspired dining room with open beams and a relaxing wine bar and terrace, The Vineyard Rose Restaurant serves contemporary California cuisine sourced from the season’s freshest, locally-grown ingredients. Because of the current California regulations, indoor seating is unavailable, but the restaurant boasts beautiful outdoor dining on its front patio or back veranda.

Our dinner at The Vineyard Rose began with a tasty shrimp cocktail and a glass of South Coast pinot grigio. For the main course I devoured seared day boat scallops with cauliflower, pork belly, asparagus tips and pea tendrils. My friend enjoyed grilled filet mignon with potatoes, wild mushrooms, asparagus and red wine reduction.

In the morning we stepped into summer paradise at the resort’s grand pool area, where we rented a cabana for the day. The large tent cabana provided shade from the sun and featured comfortable lounge chairs and a couch, and service from the poolside café. To meet current safety requirements, the pool is currently open by reservation only.

I concluded the evening with a glass of wine and a bubble bath in my villa’s giant Jacuzzi tub.

South Coast Winery Resort and Spa is located at 34843 Rancho California Road, Temecula, CA 92591. For more information on staying at the resort and current specials, including the Horse & Carriage Package or the Hot Air Balloon Package, call 951.587. 9463 or visit the South Coast Winery Resort & Spa website.

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